Fans of Quentin Tarantino's films have come to expect certain things from his films. Whether that expectation is excessive violence, long camera shots, a barefoot woman, clever dialogue, fake product placement, or just a slew of four-letter words, Tarantino rarely ever fails his audiences. To celebrate one of our favorite filmmakers, we take a look at 30 facts about his movies you may not know. Trust us, this is just the tip of the iceberg in this case though.
1. Quentin Tarantino wrote the part of Jules in Pulp Fiction specifically for Samuel L. Jackson after seeing him audition for Reservoir Dogs.
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Jackson had auditioned for the role of the man who trains Mr. Orange, but the part eventually went to Randy Brooks.
2. Inglourious Basterds star Eli Roth has claimed he was able to get into the mindset of the violent "Bear Jew" character because of the costumes.
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He's admitted that "wool underwear will make you want to kill anything" and also the music of Hannah Montana, which his girlfriend added to his iPod. It somehow filled him with the rage he needed to wield his baseball bat.
3. While filming Django Unchained, Leonardo DiCaprio had to stop filming at one point as he struggled using so many racial slurs.
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Samuel L. Jackson responded by pulling him aside and saying, "Motherf**ker, this is just another Tuesday for us."
4. Daryl Hannah's Kill Bill character, Elle Driver, has the code name "California Mountain Kingsnake." In fact, hers is the only Deadly Viper Assassination Squad code name that isn't a venomous snake.
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The name is fitting since she also isn't able to poison The Bride when she's in the hospital because Bill calls her before she can.
5. The iconic dance scene featuring Uma Thurman and John Travolta at Jack Rabbit Slim's is copied as an homage to Federico Fellini's 8½.
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6. According to Tarantino, German-born actor Til Schweiger (Sgt. Stiglitz) had always refused film roles that required him to don a Nazi uniform; he only agreed for Inglourious Basterds because he would be ["doin' one thing and one thing only,] killin' Nazis."
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7. At the very beginning of Kill Bill's O-Ren Ishii fight scene, Lucy Liu, in Japanese, says, "I hope you've saved your energy. If you haven't, you may not last 5 minutes."
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It is then exactly 4 minutes and 59 seconds until the fatal blow of the scene.
8. The cops who appear at the hospital in Death Proof after Stuntman Mike's first crash are played by real life father-son duo Michael Parks and James Parks.
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They're also the officers who respond to the wedding day massacre in Kill Bill. Michael Parks was first introduced as police officer Earl McGraw in the Tarantino-penned From Dusk Till Dawn; his son, James, was introduced as Deputy Edgar McGraw in From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money. Neither of their characters survive in the From Dusk Till Dawn films.
9. The real name of the Mr. Blonde character from Reservoir Dogs, played by Michael Madsen, is Vic Vega. Vega is also the last name of John Travolta's character Vince in Pulp Fiction.
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Tarantino has stated that the characters are brothers whom he intended to make a prequel about. The film, Double V Vega, has been abandoned since both Madsen and Travolta aged too much to do a prequel.
10. The closing credits of Jackie Brown gives special thanks to "Bert D'Angelo's Daughter," which is a reference to Tarantino's then-girlfriend, Mira Sorvino.
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In the 1970s, Paul Sorvino starred in the detective TV show Bert D'Angelo, Superstar, which makes Mira "Bert D'Angelo's Daughter." Mira herself can be spotted, out of focus, in the back of the courtroom during Jackie's arraignment.
11. Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington's characters in Django Unchained are intended to be descendants of John Shaft from the Shaft films, which would explain Washington's character's name: Broomhilda Von Schaft.
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12. In Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson's character, Jules, has a "Bad Mother F**ker" wallet that belongs to Tarantino in real life.
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The inscription is an earlier reference to Shaft and its theme song. Jackson would go on to star as Shaft in the 2000 remake.
13. Kill Bill was Quentin Tarantino's first feature-length film to have fewer than 100 instances of the word "f*ck."
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It pops up in the film a mere 17 times. Reservoir Dogs has 272, Pulp Fiction has 265 instances, and the later-released Death Proof boasts 148 in its extended cut.
14. We'll never find out why Inglourious Basterds is spelled the way it is.
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Tarantino has said, "Here's the thing. I'm never going to explain that. You do an artistic flourish like that, and to explain it would just take the piss out of it and invalidate the whole stroke in the first place."
15. The scene in Pulp Fiction when Vince plunges the adrenalin shot into Mia's chest was filmed by having John Travolta remove the needle, which was already in place, from Uma Thurman's chest and then running the film in reverse.
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If you watch very closely, you can see a mark disappear from Mia's chest.
16. Death Proof has a stronger relationship to Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich than you realized.
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In the first crash scene of Death Proof, the four girls discuss and listen to the music of Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich. Musician Eddie Cochran died in 1960 after being thrown through the windshield of his taxi. David Harman, a young police cadet overseeing the investigation surrounding the crash, ended up teaching himself guitar on Cochran's impounded Gretsch from the wreck. Harman would later be known by a different name: Dave Dee, of Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich.
17. Even though The Bride's name isn't revealed to audiences until Kill Bill Vol. 2, 'Beatrix Kiddo' is visible on her plane ticket to Okinawa in the first film.
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This is one of the movie's little Easter eggs, along with the sole of her shoe saying "F*CK U."
18. Reservoir Dogs star Kirk Baltz asked to ride in Michael Madsen's trunk to understand what the experience would really be like. Madsen agreed, but, while driving, he decided it was an ideal opportunity to get into character himself.
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He subsequently drove down a long alley plagued with potholes and through a Taco Bell drive-thru before returning to the lot and releasing his co-star. The soda his character is drinking in his first appearance in the warehouse is the same one he bought himself at the drive-thru.
19. That's really Leonardo DiCaprio's blood in Django Unchained!
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When Calvin Candie smashes his hand down on the dinner table in Django Unchained, actor Leonardo DiCaprio really broke a glass under his hand and began to bleed. He stayed in character, however, and continued with the scene, eventually smearing his blood all over Kerry Washington's face. When the scene ended, Leo received a standing ovation from everyone on set, and this was the take that ended up in the final cut.
20. In Inglourious Basterds, Shosanna Dreyfus' father, who was briefly seen hiding beneath the floorboards, was played by Swiss actor Patrick Elias.
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Elias' father, Buddy, is a first cousin of Anne Frank.
21. Pam Grier had tested for the part of Jody in Pulp Fiction, but it eventually went to Rosanna Arquette. Tarantino never forgot her though, and he eventually crafted the role of Jackie Brown specifically for her.
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In fact, the titular character was initially a white woman named Jackie Burke.
22. Every character killed onscreen, with the exception of the anime scene, in the Kill Bill movies met their fate at the hands of a woman.
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Elle killed Budd and Pai Mei; O-Ren Ishii killed Boss Tanaka; Gogo killed that Tokyo businessman; The Bride, of course, killed Vernita Green, Buck, Gogo, the Crazy 88s, O-Ren Ishii, and, yes, Bill.
23. Even though she liked the movie, Madonna sent Tarantino a copy of her Erotica album with a note that read, "To Quentin, it's not about dick. It's about love. Madonna."
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The note is a reference to the opening conversation of Reservoir Dogs where the characters discuss the meaning of "Like A Virgin."
24. Tarantino came up with the idea for Death Proof afer buying a Volvo because he "didn't want to die in some auto accident like the one in Pulp Fiction."
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His friend joked in response to Quentin's preference for the safe vehicle by saying, "you could take any car and give it to a stunt team, and for $10,000 or $15,000, they can death-proof it for you," and the phrase stuck with Tarantino ever since.
25. Initially, Tarantino couldn't decide which character he wanted to play in Pulp Fiction.
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He was between Jimmie and Lance, but opted for Jimmie once he realized he wanted to be behind the camera during Mia's overdose.
26. Chiaki Kuriyama, the actress who plays Gogo in Kill Bill, accidentally hit Quentin Tarantino in the head with her meteor hammer while he was filming that scene.
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27. Jules' iconic Bible passage was mostly made up by Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson.
"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee" is the only part that's even similar to what's in the scriptures. The righteous man and the shepherd? Not real.
28. At the end of Inglourious Basterds, Brad Pitt's character pretends to be an Italian actor named "Enzo Girolami," which sounds a little familiar...
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Enzo Girolami is the birth name of the director of the 1978 film, The Inglorious Bastards (Enzo G. Castellari).
29. As part of John Travolta's "research" into heroin addiction for the role of Vincent Vega, he (and his wife, happy to help) lined tequila shots along the edge of his hotel hot tub and drank them all while soaking in the hot water.
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Tarantino had referred Travolta to a recovering addict, who gave this piece of advice: "If you want to get the 'bottom envelope' feeling of that, get plastered on Tequila, and lie down in a hot pool. Then you will have barely touched the feeling of what it might be like to be on heroin."
30. Uma Thurman initially rejected the role of Mia Wallace.
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In order to get her to sign on to Pulp Fiction, a desperate Tarantino read her the script over the phone and convinced her. It was during the filming of the 1994 classic that the pair began to develop the concept of Kill Bill. Uma was given the script, along with the offer for the role of "The Bride," as a 30th birthday present from Tarantino.
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Musician Beck and actor Til Schweiger are embroiled in a legal battle over the state of a rented property. Beck paid $11,000 (£7,333)-a-month to live in a Malibu, California mansion owned by the Inglourious Basterds star between 2010 and February 2013, but Schweiger claims the musician has caused thousands of dollars of damage to the home.
Both men agree the mansion is in poor condition, but each holds the other responsible and have launched lawsuits, according to editors at TMZ.com.
The Loser hitmaker claims there were multiple issues with the house when he moved in, including mould, problems with the plumbing, and electrical issues which in turn damaged several appliances in the home.
Schweiger alleges Beck had unauthorised work carried out to the property while he was renting it that caused "substantial physical damage" costing $40,571 (£27,047) to repair.
Beck is now reportedly suing the German for refusing to return his $11,000 deposit, while Schweiger is countersuing for the cost of repairs and unpaid rent totalling $56,704 (37,802).

While the annual Sundance film festival continues to be a place that launches young filmmaking talent, over the years it's also become a star-studded publicity machine attracting big names looking to debut their new films. The list of celebs attending the 2013 festival for the out-of-competition premieres of their new movies should not disappoint.
The most anticipated premiere won't happen until the end of the festival, when the Steve Jobs biopic jOBS, starring Ashton Kutcher as the Apple guru, is honored as the closing night film.
Oscar-winning screenwriters (and sometime sitcom stars) Nat Faxon and Jim Rash will make their directorial debut with a film they wrote called The Way, Way Back, starring Steve Carell and Toni Collette.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt will take it one step further by starring in his self-penned directorial debut, DonJon's Addiction, alongside Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore.
There's also Lovelace, with Amanda Seyfried as the titular '70s porn star, the third union of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in Before Midnight, and Jane Campion's six-hour epic Top of the Lake, among many others.
The documentaries premiering out of competition cover diverse topics, including Wikileaks, Jeremy Lin, multiple sclerosis, Dick Cheney and more.
The 2013 Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 17-27, 2013.
2013 PREMIERES
A.C.O.D. / U.S.A. (Director: Stuart Zicherman, Screenwriters: Ben Karlin, Stuart Zicherman) — Carter is a well-adjusted Adult Child of Divorce. So he thinks. When he discovers he was part of a divorce study as a child, it wreaks havoc on his family and forces him to face his chaotic past. Cast: Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara, Amy Poehler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clark Duke.
Before Midnight / U.S.A. (Director: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater— We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna. Before the clock strikes midnight, we will again become part of their story. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Xenia Kalogeropoulou, Ariane Labed, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick.
Big Sur / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Polish) — Unable to cope with a suddenly demanding public and battling advanced alcoholism, Jack Kerouac seeks respite in three brief sojourns to a cabin in Big Sur, which reveal his mental and physical deterioration. Cast: Jean-Marc Barr, Kate Bosworth, Josh Lucas, Radha Mitchell, Anthony Edwards, Henry Thomas.
Breathe In / U.S.A. (Director: Drake Doremus, Screenwriters: Drake Doremus, Ben York Jones) — When a foreign exchange student arrives in a small upstate New York town, she challenges the dynamics of her host family's relationships and alters their lives forever. Cast: Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, Amy Ryan, Mackenzie Davis.
Don Jon's Addiction / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Joseph Gordon-Levitt) — In Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s charming directorial debut, a selfish modern-day Don Juan attempts to change his ways. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Rob Brown.
The East / U.S.A. (Director: Zal Batmanglij, Screenwriters: Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling) — An operative for an elite private intelligence firm goes into deep cover to infiltrate a mysterious anarchist collective attacking major corporations. Bent on apprehending these fugitives, she finds her loyalty tested as her feelings grow for the group's charismatic leader. Cast: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez, Patricia Clarkson.
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete / U.S.A. (Director: George Tillman Jr., Screenwriter: Michael Starrbury) — Separated from their mothers and facing a summer in the Brooklyn projects alone, two boys hide from police and forage for food, with only each other to trust. A story of salvation through friendship and two boys against the world. Cast: Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Anthony Mackie, Jeffrey Wright.
jOBS / U.S.A. (Director: Joshua Michael Stern, Screenwriter: Matt Whiteley) — The true story of one of the greatest entrepreneurs in American history, jOBS chronicles the defining 30 years of Steve Jobs’ life. jOBS is a candid, inspiring and personal portrait of the one who saw things differently. Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons, Matthew Modine. CLOSING NIGHT FILM
The Look of Love / United Kingdom (Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriter: Matt Greenhalgh) — The true story of British adult magazine publisher and entrepreneur Paul Raymond. A modern day King Midas story, Raymond became one of the richest men in Britain at the cost of losing those closest to him. Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Tamsin Egerton.
Lovelace / U.S.A. (Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Screenwriter: Andy Bellin) — Deep Throat, the first pornographic feature film to be a mainstream success, was an international sensation in 1972 and made its star, Linda Lovelace, a media darling. Years later the “poster girl for the sexual revolution” revealed a darker side to her story. Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Hank Azaria, Adam Brody, James Franco, Sharon Stone.
The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman / U.S.A. (Director: Fredrik Bond, Screenwriter: Matt Drake) — Traveling abroad, Charlie Countryman falls for Gabi, a Romanian beauty whose unreachable heart has its origins in Nigel, her violent, charismatic ex. As the darkness of Gabi’s past increasingly envelops him, Charlie resolves to win her heart, or die trying. Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Evan Rachel Wood, Mads Mikkelsen, Rupert Grint, James Buckley, Til Schweiger.
Prince Avalanche / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Gordon Green) — Two highway road workers spend the summer of 1988 away from their city lives. The isolated landscape becomes a place of misadventure as the men find themselves at odds with each other and the women they left behind. Cast: Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch.
Stoker / U.S.A. (Director: Park Chan-Wook, Screenwriter: Wentworth Miller) — After India's father dies in an auto accident, her Uncle Charlie comes to live with her and her mother, Evelyn. Soon after his arrival, India suspects that this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives but becomes increasingly infatuated with him. Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver, Nicole Kidman.
Sweetwater / U.S.A. (Directors: Logan Miller, Noah Miller, Screenwriter: Andrew McKenzie) — In the late 1800s, a fanatical religious leader, a renegade Sheriff, and a former prostitute collide in a blood triangle on the rugged plains of the New Mexico Territory. Cast: Ed Harris, January Jones, Jason Isaacs, Eduardo Noriega, Steven Rude, Amy Madigan.
Top of the Lake / Australia, New Zealand (Directors: Jane Campion, Garth Davis, Screenwriters: Jane Campion, Gerard Lee) — A 12-year-old girl stands chest deep in a frozen lake. She is five months pregnant, and won't say who the father is. Then she disappears. So begins a haunting mystery that consumes a community. Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan, David Wenham. This six-hour film will screen once during the Festival.
Two Mothers / Australia, France (Director: Anne Fontaine, Screenwriter: Christopher Hampton) — This gripping tale of love, lust and the power of friendship charts the unconventional and passionate affairs of two lifelong friends who fall in love with each other’s sons. Cast: Naomi Watts, Robin Wright, Xavier Samuel, James Frechevile.
Very Good Girls / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Naomi Foner) — In the long, half-naked days of a New York summer, two girls on the brink of becoming women fall for the same guy and find that life isn't as simple or safe as they had thought. Cast: Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Boyd Holbrook, Demi Moore, Richard Dreyfuss, Ellen Barkin.
The Way, Way Back / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash) — Duncan, an introverted 14-year-old, comes into his own over the course of a comedic summer when he forms unlikely friendships with the gregarious manager of a rundown water park and the misfits who work there. Cast: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Liam James.
2013 DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
ANITA / U.S.A. (Director: Freida Mock) — Anita Hill, an African-American woman, charges Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas with sexual harassment in explosive Senate hearings in 1991 – bringing sexual politics into the national consciousness and fueling 20 years of international debate on the issues.
The Crash Reel / U.S.A. (Director: Lucy Walker) — The jaw-dropping story of one unforgettable athlete, Kevin Pearce; one eye-popping sport, snowboarding; and one explosive issue, traumatic brain injury. An epic rivalry between Kevin and Shaun White culminates in a life-changing crash and a comeback story with a difference. SALT LAKE CITY GALA FILM
History of the Eagles / U.S.A. (Director: Alison Ellwood) — Using never-before-seen home movies, archival footage and new interviews with all current and former members of the Eagles, this documentary provides an intimate look into the history of the band and the legacy of their music.
Linsanity / U.S.A. (Director: Evan Leong) — Jeremy Lin came from a humble background to make an unbelievable run in the NBA. State high school champion, all-Ivy League at Harvard, undrafted by the NBA and unwanted there: his story started long before he landed on Broadway.
Pandora's Promise / U.S.A. (Director: Robert Stone) — A growing number of environmentalists are renouncing decades of antinuclear orthodoxy and have come to believe that the most feared and controversial technology known to mankind is probably our greatest hope.
Running from Crazy / U.S.A. (Director: Barbara Kopple) — Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, strives for a greater understanding of her family history of suicide and mental illness. As tragedies are explored and deeply hidden secrets are revealed, Mariel searches for a way to overcome a similar fate.
Sound City / U.S.A. (Director: Dave Grohl) — Through interviews and performances with the legendary musicians and producers who worked at America's greatest unsung recording studio, Sound City, we explore the human element of music, and the lost art of analog recording in an increasingly digital world.
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks / U.S.A. (Director: Alex Gibney) — In 2010, WikiLeaks and its sources used the power of the Internet to usher in what was for some a new era of transparency and for others the beginnings of an information war.
When I Walk / U.S.A., Canada (Director: Jason DaSilva) — At 25, filmmaker and artist Jason DaSilva finds out he has a severe form of multiple sclerosis. This film shares his personal and grueling journey over the next seven years. Along the way, an unlikely miracle changes everything.
Which Way is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington / U.S.A. (Director: Sebastian Junger) — Shortly after the release of his documentary Restrepo, photographer Tim Hetherington was killed in Libya. Colleague Sebastian Junger traces Hetherington's work across the world's battlefields to reveal how he transcended the boundaries of image-making to become a luminary in his profession.
The World According to Dick Cheney / U.S.A. (Directors: R.J. Cutler, Greg Finton) — How did Dick Cheney become the single-most-powerful nonpresidential figure in American history? This multi-layered examination of Cheney's life, career, key relationships and controversial worldview features exclusive interviews with the former vice president and his closest allies.
Follow Jean on Twitter @hijean
[Photo Credit: Dale Robinette/Millennium Films]
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The actor is working on Schutzengel, in which he plays a soldier assigned to protect a young witness to an arms deal gone wrong.
But he'll revisit the story again next year (13) when he begins filming the remake with the new title of The Guardians, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In This Means War – a stylish action/rom-com hybrid from director McG – Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises) and Chris Pine (Star Trek) star as CIA operatives whose close friendship is strained by the fires of romantic rivalry. Best pals FDR (Pine) and Tuck (Hardy) are equally accomplished at the spy game but their fortunes diverge dramatically in the dating realm: FDR (so nicknamed for his obvious resemblance to our 32nd president) is a smooth-talking player with an endless string of conquests while Tuck is a straight-laced introvert whose love life has stalled since his divorce. Enter Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) a pretty plucky consumer-products evaluator who piques both their interests in separate unrelated encounters. Tuck meets her via an online-dating site FDR at a video-rental store. (That Lauren is tech-savvy enough to date online but still rents movies in video stores is either a testament to her fascinating mix of contradictions or more likely an example of lazy screenwriting.)
When Tuck and FDR realize they’re pursuing the same girl it sparks their respective competitive natures and they decide to make a friendly game of it. But what begins as a good-natured rivalry swiftly devolves into romantic bloodsport with both men using the vast array of espionage tools at their disposal – from digital surveillance to poison darts – to gain an edge in the battle for Lauren’s affections. If her constitutional rights happen to be violated repeatedly in the process then so be it.
Lauren for her part remains oblivious to the clandestine machinations of her dueling suitors and happily basks in the sudden attention from two gorgeous men. Herein we find the Reese Witherspoon Dilemma: While certainly desirable Lauren is far from the irresistible Helen of Troy type that would inspire the likes of Tuck and FDR to risk their friendship their careers and potential incarceration for. At several points in This Means War I found myself wondering if there were no other peppy blondes in Los Angeles (where the film is primarily set) for these men to pursue. Then again this is a film that wishes us to believe that Tom Hardy would have trouble finding a date so perhaps plausibility is not its strong point.
When Lauren needs advice she looks to her boozy foul-mouthed best friend Trish (Chelsea Handler). Essentially an extension of Handler’s talk-show persona – an acquired taste if there ever was one – Trish’s dialogue consists almost exclusively of filthy one-liners delivered in rapid-fire succession. Handler does have some choice lines – indeed they’re practically the centerpiece of This Means War’s ad campaign – but the film derives the bulk of its humor from the outrageous lengths Tuck and FDR go to sabotage each others’ efforts a raucous game of spy-versus-spy that carries the film long after Handler’s shtick has grown stale.
Business occasionally intrudes upon matters in the guise of Heinrich (Til Schweiger) a Teutonic arms dealer bent on revenge for the death of his brother. The subplot is largely an afterthought existing primarily as a means to provide third-act fireworks – and to allow McGenius an outlet for his ADD-inspired aesthetic proclivities. The film’s action scenes are edited in such a manic quick-cut fashion that they become almost laughably incoherent. In fairness to McG he does stage a rather marvelous sequence in the middle of the film in which Tuck and FDR surreptitiously skulk about Lauren's apartment unaware of each other's presence carefully avoiding detection by Lauren who grooves absentmindedly to Montel Jordan's "This Is How We Do It." The whole scene unfolds in one continuous take – or is at least craftily constructed to appear as such – captured by one very agile steadicam operator.
Whatever his flaws as a director McG is at least smart enough to know how much a witty script and appealing leads can compensate for a film’s structural and logical deficiencies. He proved as much with Charlie’s Angels a film that enjoys a permanent spot on many a critic’s Guilty Pleasures list and does so again with This Means War. The film coasts on the chemistry of its three co-stars and only runs into trouble when the time comes to resolve its romantic competition which by the end has driven its male protagonists to engage in all manner of underhanded and duplicitous activities. This Means War being a commercial film – and likely an expensive one at that – Witherspoon's heroine is mandated to make a choice and McG all but sidesteps the whole thorny matter of Tuck and FDR’s unwavering dishonesty not to mention their craven disregard for her privacy. (They regularly eavesdrop on her activities.) For all their obvious charms the truth is that neither deserves Lauren – or anything other than a lengthy jail sentence for that matter.
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Last year director Garry Marshall hit upon a devilishly canny approach to the romantic comedy. A more polished refinement of Hal Needham’s experimental Cannonball Run method it called for assembling a gaggle of famous faces from across the demographic spectrum and pairing them with a shallow day-in-the-life narrative packed with gobs of gooey sentiment. A cynical strategy to be sure but one that paid handsome dividends: Valentine’s Day earned over $56 million in its opening weekend surpassing even the rosiest of forecasts. Buoyed by the success Marshall and his screenwriter Katherine Fugate hastily retreated to the bowels of Hades to apply their lucrative formula to another holiday historically steeped in romantic significance and New Year’s Eve was born.
Set in Manhattan on the last day of the year New Year’s Eve crams together a dozen or so canned scenarios into one bloated barely coherent mass of cliches. As before Marshall’s recruited an impressive ensemble of minions to do his unholy bidding including Oscar winners Hilary Swank Halle Berry and Robert De Niro the latter luxuriating in a role that didn’t require him to get out of bed. High School Musical’s Zac Efron is paired up with ‘80s icon Michelle Pfeiffer – giving teenage girls and their fathers something to bond over – while Glee’s Lea Michele meets cute with a pajama-clad Ashton Kutcher. There’s Katherine Heigl in a familiar jilted-fiance role Sarah Jessica Parker as a fretful single mom and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges as the most laid-back cop in New York. Sofia Vergara and Hector Elizondo mine for cheap laughs with thick accents – his fake and hers real – and Jessica Biel and Josh Duhamel deftly mix beauty with blandness. Fans of awful music will delight in the sounds of Jon Bon Jovi straining against type to play a relevant pop musician.
The task of interweaving the various storylines is too great for Marshall and New Year’s Eve bears the distinct scent and stain of an editing-room bloodbath with plot holes so gaping that not even the brightest of celebrity smiles can obscure them. But that’s not the point – it never was. You should know better than to expect logic from a film that portrays 24-year-old Efron and 46-year-old Parker as brother-and-sister without bothering to explain how such an apparent scientific miracle might have come to pass. Marshall wagers that by the time the ball drops and the film’s last melodramatic sequence has ended prior transgressions will be absolved and moviegoers will be content to bask in New Year's Eve's artificial glow. The gambit worked for Valentine's Day; this time he may not be so fortunate.

I have to hand it to the producers behind the upcoming New Year's Eve (a spiritual sequel to the ensemble comedy Valentine's Day). Not only did they round up every familiar Hollywood face under the sun, but they also managed to fit them on the movie's official poster.
To give you an idea, here's the roster: Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Robert De Niro, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Hilary Swank, Sofia Vergara and possibly some unknowns. Then again, maybe the extras in this movie are former A-listers. I wouldn't be surprised.
Take a look at the poster (along with the film's equally star-studded trailer) below.

As I expect every one of you is a Pixar fan (being otherwise is a sign of sociopathy), you might have noticed a similarity in the voices of characters like Toy Story’s Hamm, WALL-E’s John and Mack from Cars and its upcoming sequel, Cars 2. That’s because they, and six other characters spanning eleven movies and counting, are all voiced by John Ratzenberger. He might be the only performer to have held such consistency with this particular company, but he is not unique in being an actor who repeatedly works with the same people. In fact, we've come up with a list of nine other proverbial Ratzenberger's and their respective Pixar's:
MICHAEL CAINE &amp; CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
Michael Caine is one of those rare immortal actors who is completely untouchable. I’ve never heard even the most contrarian of my hipster friends say that Michael Caine is overrated. As such, it’s no surprise why rising powerhouse Christopher Nolan has opted to stick him in his last four (and upcoming fifth) directing pursuits. Caine’s roles do not vary much between these films—he’s always wise, good-natured and the only person the much younger hero can trust. He’s always someplace between the movie and the audience. And he’s always got at least one scene-stealing quip at the protagonist’s expense. But can you really take issue with this repetitiveness? With a resume like The Prestige, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Inception and the unhealthily anticipated The Dark Knight Rises, how can you blame this dynamic duo for sticking with a formula that works?
STEVE BUSCEMI &amp; THE COEN BROTHERS
The Coen Brothers. They’ve made some gold. They’ve made some silver. Throughout the 1990s, the Coen Brothers made five movies, and Steve Buscemi was in each one, as well as their short film part of a collaborative anthology, Paris Je T’Aime, in 2006. Buscemi had bit parts in Miller’s Crossing and The Hudsucker Proxy, a slightly larger one in Barton Fink, and was the second male lead to William H. Macy in Fargo. But, like everyone who went to college, I favor, of course, The Big Lebowski, and cherish every second Buscemi was onscreen as Theodore Donald Kirobatsos. He really tied the movie together.
J.K. SIMMONS &amp; JASON REITMAN
If I may just start out by saying something entirely uncontroversial: J.K. Simmons is awesome. He is as typecast as you can get, and it seems that neither he nor we seem to have any problem with this. Jason Reitman: also awesome. Juno was awesome. I don’t care what you say, everyone I’ve ever met. I loved that movie.
Reitman is still relatively new to filmmaking. Aside from Juno, his feature resume up to this point consists only of Thank You For Smoking and Up in the Air. Coming out later this year is Young Adult: a drama about a young woman seeking romance after a divorce. This film, as well, will include Simmons among the cast (playing gruff-but-lovable, no doubt), and is written by Diablo Cody—who also wrote the screenplay for Juno. Which was awesome.
JOHNNY DEPP &amp; TIM BURTON
Not all of these friendships produce good material. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, both individually and as a pair, have indeed given us some memorable pieces of cinema. Some of the better projects on which they’ve collaborated include Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Ed Wood. I’ll even throw Corpse Bride into the Pros list. But as time went on, they began making a career out of defaming timeless works of art with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. Also, Sweeney Todd happened. But they’re not done yet. Coming up for 2012 is Dark Shadows: a horroresque film directed by Burton, about the adventures of a vampire (played by Depp) who encounters a slew of other mythological creatures. Nice change of pace, guys.
SAMUEL L. JACKSON &amp; QUENTIN TARANTINO
Samuel L. Jackson is an interesting case. He has appeared in four of six of the feature films over which Tarantino played director, but in two instances, he was never seen. Those two are Kill Bill: Volume 2, in which he played a bit part as Rufus, the pianist at the church wherein Uma Thurman’s character intended to be married, and who existed to the audience only as a silhouette with a cigarette (that’s a pretty good band name).
His second faceless performance was in Inglourious Basterds, when Jackson performed a single voice-over segment to introduce Til Schweiger’s character, Hugo Stiglitz. Aside from these, Jackson has played Ordelle Robbie in Tarantino’s oft forgotten Jackie Brown, and (do I even need to mention?) the career-defining Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction. Jackson is also set to play a major role in Tarantino’s upcoming Django Unchained.
RUSSELL CROWE &amp; RIDLEY SCOTT
Crowe and Scott pair together quite naturally. Both are responsible for some fantastic pieces of cinema, and neither would you be entirely comfortable inviting into your home. Since their initial collaboration on the 2000 Best Picture Gladiator, Crowe and Scott have paired up on four additional films—earning praise for American Gangster, dissatisfaction with Robin Hood, and… Did anyone see Body of Lies? Or the other one? I think it was about a house, or a garden…
OWEN WILSON (OR BILL MURRAY) &amp; WES ANDERSON
Owen Wilson is undoubtedly more famous for his roles with the proverbial Frat Pack, especially frequent collaborator Ben Stiller. But the actor with the agonizingly mellow voice has appeared in almost every feature film directed by Wes Anderson, a college friend of Wilson’s, to date.
Anderson, a favorite director of all the people who think they're better than you, has created Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums, both of which Wilson co-wrote. In addition to these, Wilson had major roles in Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, and the director’s first animated movie, The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Wilson also co-wrote Anderson’s 1998 film Rushmore, which (along with each of the above movies with the exception of Bottle Rocket) included Bill Murray as a member of the cast. Both Murray and Wilson are rumored to appear in Anderson’s next film, Moonrise Kingdom, about two parents’ efforts to recover their runaway daughter.
LEOBERT DeNIPRIO &amp; MARTIN SCORSESE
For the better part of his career—and I mean that in every way—De Niro was Scorsese’s key player. Starting with 1973’s Mean Streets, the duo forged a working relationship that lasted twenty-two years. Their most recent collaboration was Casino, in 1995. However, Scorsese and De Niro have been in talks to develop a new project called The Irishman and, if you can believe (or stomach the idea of) this, a sequel to Taxi Driver.
For the time being, it seems as though Scorsese has replaced De Niro with a younger, sparkier, ruffled good-guy: Leonardo DiCaprio. Since 2002, DiCaprio has starred in four Scorsese films. Scorsese is even going as far as to cast his new muse, whom everyone I know seems to either love or hate, in a role sure to earn him a great sum of scrutiny: in a developing biopic called Sinatra, as the Chairman of the Board himself.
EVERYONE IN THE HAPPY MADISON UNIVERSE
Adam Sandler has a greater reputation of working with his friends than anyone in the business. His production company, Happy Madison, has developed fifteen films starring Sandler since its first film and half of its namesake, Happy Gilmore. Three of Sandler’s major starring roles, Billy Madison, The Waterboy, and The Wedding Singer, were produced independently from Happy Madison. Over the course of his career, Sandler has wavered from accusing his girlfriend of adultery with fictitious penguins. He has played romantic leads, PTSD-sufferers, and cancer survivors. One consistency throughout his years onscreen, however, is in his supporting casts. Sandler's confidants, rivals, and comic reliefs are often actors who have played similar roles in other Happy Madison films. Included in the recurring clan of Sandler's screen partners are Rob Schneider, Allen Covert, and--the guy you probably never noticed--Jonathan Loughran, who have each played behind the man in nine different films. Although none reach this level of dedication, other impressive numbers belong to Peter Dante with eight films, once again to Steve Buscemi, with six (this is clearly a loyal guy), to Kevin Nealon with five, and to Henry Winkler and Kevin James, with four movies each. And these are just the Sandler-starring films. There are dozens of other Happy Madison Productions that include these and other recurring actors.

UPDATE: Now it looks like Mel Gibson is in talks to join Sleight of Hand as well, according to Variety. This would be his first project after the release of The Beaver and, you know, that whole domestic abuse thing. I haven't seen the movie, so I can't speak on it's qualities, but it's no surprise that Gibson is still getting work. This is Hollywood after all. He's a talented filmmaker, and regardless of his personal life he'll probably continue to get work for years to come.
EARLIER: For director Brad Mirman, Sleight of Hand is a blessing. The action comedy from producer Rionda del Castro is the biggest production he's ever been a part of and he's just scored a great cast to carry it. Hannibal Pictures, the company behind the movie, announced today that Kiefer Sutherland, Gerard Depardieu, Til Schweiger, Thomas Jane, Johnny Hallyday, Jon Lovitz and Eric Cantona will all play small time crooks in the France-set film.
The story follows the crooks in Paris, who inadvertently end up possessing a rare gold coin belonging to a notorious French gangster. The leader of the crew calls his uncle (Depardieu), a retired criminal, to help them raise the money to repay the gangster. The series of mix-ups and double crosses culminate as the gangs are pit face to face, chasing through Paris. French actors Jean Luc Couchard, Nora Arnezeder and Patrice Cols will also take roles in the picture, which will shoot in Paris this July through September.
In my opinion, you can never see too much of Paris in movies, so if the script is funny enough and the cast gels Sleight of Hand could be a quirky little winner.
Source: Coming Soon

Now that he's given us a taste of his softer, RomCom side with No Strings Attached, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is signing on for another schmaltzy role. He's adding his name to the staggeringly ginormous list of Hollywood names attached to New Years Eve, which is Garry Marshall's upcoming romantic comedy behemoth that aims to answer all our burning questions from his first lets-throw-a-handful-o-famous-people-in-a-movie movie, Valentine's Day. Wait, I'm pretty sure I didn't have any questions about Valentine's Day. Especially since it looks like New Years will be in an entirely new city and be about an entirely different group of people, other than Jessica Biel and Ashton Kutcher, including Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Robert De Niro, Zac Efron, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Sienna Miller, Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara. Oh and Ice Cube and Ryan Seacrest and Josh Duhamel and do I need to keep naming names because I'm pretty sure there are more and I'm really tired already.
But hey, at least we can look forward to something good, right? LUDA IN THE HOUSE. Come on, who doesn't like this guy? No one, and if you don't, you probably need to reexamine your priorities. He'll play a New York City cop working in Times Square during the New Years ball drop, which sounds like the absolute worst job, alongside Hilary Swank's festivities director. Sorry, Luda.
Source: THR